First county wine festival draws 1,500

 Lightbox link Lightbox link HEGINS - Based on Sunday's turnout, the success of the first Schuylkill County Wine Festival may have already ensured the event an annual spot in Hegins Park.

"We sold almost 1,500 glasses," Hegins Park Association member Bob Tobash said, indicating 1,500 people paid either $15 for regular admission or $5 for designated driver admission.

The county's five wineries, plus a visitor from Snyder County, came together for the first time Sunday. The event will benefit Hegins Park Association, which maintains the park.

"The wineries did great. The people that were here selling food, most of those sold out before 6 p.m.," Tobash said. "It was a great turnout."

Tobash said the success of the event could help fill a funding gap left in 1999, when an extremely popular annual Labor Day pigeon shoot was canceled after 65 years.

"It helps to maintain the park, which is a good community park used by a lot of people," Tobash said.

The park has numerous sports fields, some with lights, Bob Tobash said, and fellow association member Mary Tobash said the park hosts practices for midget football and cheerleading teams.

Participating were Red Shale Ridge Winery, Hegins; Benigna's Creek Vineyard and Winery, Klingerstown; Long Trout Winery, Auburn; Stone Mountain Wine Cellars, Pine Grove; Galen Glen Vineyards and Winery, Andreas; and Shade Mountain Vineyards and Winery, Middleburg, Snyder County.

Mary Tobash said all five of the county's wineries began operations fairly recently, in the last decade or so.

John Stutzman, owner of Red Shale Ridge Winery, said the introduction of French hybrid grapes about 30 years ago made it easier to grow grapes in less-than-ideal climates, including Pennsylvania.

Mark Major, executive director of the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau, said wine tours contribute to the local agricultural tourism business, and local wineries may help draw attention to the area.

"It's pretty impressive for a county the size of Schuylkill County to have five wineries," Major said.

Stutzman said a few wineries that wanted to participate were even turned down because organizers didn't know what kind of turnout to expect.

In addition to the wineries, the festival featured catering from various area restaurants, a DJ, live music performances and activities like caricatures and horse-drawn carriage rides.